The Stars, the Wind, and My Love for You
by LucreziaMerquise1
Summary: A pure sappy "Chick Fic" on Zechs and Noin (6x9)! Lucrezia and Milliardo are united, at last...


Please Read

Disclaimer: I don't own Gundam Wing, yadda yadda, I didn't make the characters up yadda yadda. Don't sue me! Credits goes to Bandai, Sotsu Agency and Sunrise.  


I thank my friends very much for helping me write my first fanfic. This was difficult to write because I'm a poet, not a writer. ^_^ I especially thank you Joon! who helped me revise this fanfic over and over and though I was annoying picky as Hell, he stayed up listening to and tolerating my rambling. Synapse, for your "love" of pure shoujo fanfics. My consultant who tried to edit this, but I beat him to it. :)  
  
--This took place in some alternative universe-like time and place. I also haven't seen most of Gundam Wing, so don't flame me! This is not a continuation of GW, it's a romance story between Lucrezia Noin and Milliardo Peacecraft. By the way, I have a limited vocabulary due to my parents, and this is my -FIRST- fanfic and perhaps my only and last. But definitely not one of the best out there, but hey, it's a NoinxZechs/MilliardoxLucrezia fanfic!   
  
Please review this, e-mail me at NoinMerquise2@aol.com and tell me what you think of it!  
If I recieve e-mails of readers appreciating this work, future fanfics and poetry may arise.   
-- Author's Notes:   
* means a thought   
--- means the setting and/or time changes   
There are parts that may "seem" weird, but I do put in things that should be taken under serious consideration (in other words, something may not make sense when you first read it but once you think about it, it makes perfect sense)   
  
Things to consider : Lucrezia Noin had been denying her feelings for Milliardo because she hadn't seen or heard of him in about a year or so and no one knew of his whereabouts. So even though she misses Milliardo very much, she continues living her life avoiding missing him though she knows, she can and will never be able to forget her lost love.   
  
=The song Lucrezia Noin sings at the end, is "Eternity" (or "Adesso e Fortuna" in English) from Record of Lodoss War=   
It would be nice if you didn't skip this part and read the lyrics. "Io sono prigioniera" means in feminine Italian, "I am your prisoner" but it literally means "I am captive"  
  
Declaimer for "Eternity" from the Record of Lodoss War: This isn't my own song, so credit goes to Central Park Media. Any reproduction or print of this document will be subject to Central Park Media!

=======================================

**The Stars, the Wind, and My Love for You**

------  
  
As Lucrezia Noin looked outside her window, she sighed and closed her eyes...  
  
*Oh, how warm the light of the sunset feel upon her cheek*   
  
She grinned.   
  
*As warm as the tender blood-stained hand?*   
  
She opened her eyes again and avoided that thought.   
  
------  
  
In her newly settled cottage outside of Luxembourg, Lucrezia looked at her uniforms of her past displayed in the livingroom.   
  
Though she was relieved that the war between the colonies and earth was over, Lucrezia has never felt so alone before. She missed teaching at the Victoria Base, she missed the faces that were lost in the war, her duties, but above all, Lucrezia missed space. How it seemed liked heaven when she was flying about space and its stars freely.   
  
But now that the war is over and peace was achieved, countries all around the world had little use for pilots and mobile suits. And so Lucrezia began a new life that she didn't desire. Maybe, it was undesirable because she was missing something or someone inside that would complete her and would make her life worth living for. Without whatever that was missing, she felt needless and empty.  
  
"...Maybe...maybe, I long for his love..." she realized and cried tears of despair.  
  
------ 

It was now the 1st of June. A beautiful summer day; The wind, cooled the fresh air of the rolling hills of green, breathing the life into the land. There wasn't a single cloud in the sky, thus made the sky a ravishing Caribbean ocean blue. Lucrezia could just look up at the sky forever, and awed at its calmness. 

Something happened on this day, years before the war.   
  
------ 

Although Noin was thirteen years old at that time, she excelled in training, surpassed her classmates, and therefore was placed in Zechs' classes. Zechs admired her skills and talent, and became immediate friends with her. And though they were often competitive, somehow Zechs always managed to be first place. Everyone knew that Noin could easily beat Zechs, but she was always second ... while Zechs got all the credit. 

Exactly five years ago, Zechs (who was then Milliardo's new identity) and Noin were on summer break during their training at the Victoria Military Academy. They've decided to visit Luxembourg, where Noin had been wanting to visit. Zechs went with her, because Luxembourg was the closest place that resembled his "home". 

While walking together one night, they found a hidden lake a few miles from the city of Luxembourg. Noin, playfully grabbed Zechs' hand and ran down to the lake's dock. There they sat and looked up at the sky where stars sparkled as if they were watching.

As Noin watched a shooting star passed through the sky, the young Zechs took her hand and said, "Noin, I care for you immensely. You are the first person in my life that I trust with all of my heart."

"Zechs..." Noin replied, quite surprised. 

"I don't know what to tell you exactly, Noin. I believe what I'm feeling for you is indefinable..."

"Zechs, you don't need to say anything... I feel exactly the same to you." 

Zechs grinned as she placed her finger onto his lips, hushing him. Noin could see the whole ocean just from looking at his eyes, even though they were hidden behind his mask. 

For the rest of the night, they sighed and enjoyed each others' company. Though Noin and Zechs did not say another word that night, but they both felt they had the best conversation they've ever had.

-------- 

Lucrezia would never forget that day, for that was the day that she and Zechs discovered they had feelings for each other. 

-------- 

It was already night. 

While the mockingbird sung its last song to welcome the moon, Lucrezia sensed enchantment in the air as she fell asleep. 

*Wishing you were here with me...*

And drifted away into realm of dreams.

-------- 

Lucrezia woke up a few hours later, from a pleasant dream. She had an unusual feeling that had waken her from her sleep. She changed into her casual clothes and left for the lake. 

The lake wasn't very far from her home. She purposely moved into the cottage because it was within walking distance from it. Of course, Lucrezia haven't visited the place ever since that night, five years ago. 

She hoped, one day, that she would bring Zechs with her back to the lake again. 

Lucrezia continued to walk in the complete darkness with the moon being her only light. . It was very quiet, but she was abled to hear the crickets in the bushes chirping their repetitive melodies. All she thought about was if whether the ake changed or not.

When she reached the entrance to the lake, it was entirely covered with vines. But Lucrezia persisted, and with only one pull, the entranced was uncovered. 

And there it was, the lake and the dock. They seemed to be well preserved from time and the war. Everything seemed much more lively and prospering than when she last saw it; the surface of the water, shimmering with the shimmer of the stars. It seemed like a flowing sheet of the sky above. The waxing crescent was over the horizon, being the center of the splendor. A lovely new addition were the fireflies, which weren't here five years ago. However, she missed and loved the wind the most. The wind so breezy and soft that she adored it when it caressed her skin with its gentleness. It whistled through the reeds, trees, and grass producing a peaceful susurration. Altogether, it seemed like the lake was delighted to see her again. 

But Lucrezia has never been this lonely. 

She walked down to the dock and sat at the end. She slipped her feet into the water and waved them around. The water felt very cool to the skin and Lucrezia giggled at the curious fish that swam around her toes while they looked up at her. She felt sorry for the fish though; they had the earth beneath, the sky on the surface and the water in-between, but they could only exist in the water. 

Closing her eyes and humming an old tune, an image of Zechs without his mask flashed in her mind. She silently gasped as she thought of her absent love. At the same time she was reminiscing her lost memories, a tear fell from her eye and into the water creating a small perfect ripple on the surface. As she looked into the tiny waves of the ripple, a reflection of maskless Zechs appears. 

She continued to look at the reflection still believing she was only seeing things. 

"Lucrezia... don't cry..." said a familiar voice.

Her eyes widened. The voice was very familiar, but she has never heard her real name said in that voice before. She looked into the reflection of Zechs, and suddenly it smiled. 

"I expected you to be here, Lucrezia." 

Lucrezia slowly turned around and stood up. It was hard to believe that he would ever come back again. 

"Zechs...?" 

She immediately recognized him. His eyes were his best and notable feature. She has dreamed of those exact eyes every night.

His eyes, his angelic eyes... they were as cold as ice in the dead of winter when he worked for OZ and then White Fang. The coldness seemed to be melted away by a caring emotion. And now, they were of the gorgeous blues of a clear sea mixed together to create such an indescribable color. They were much more loving compared to his eyes that looked at her, in the past. Very calm, very captivating... as if they were purified by loyalty and affection. 

"My dear Lucrezia, I no longer need to wear a mask, I have absolutely nothing to hide from you... from now on, I wish for you to call me Milliardo." replied Milliardo sweetly. 

Though Lucrezia was too shy to look back up into his eyes, she noticed that Milliardo changed quite a bit during his disappearance - mentally, physically and emotionally. Tonight, he wore dark shaded clothing, not any type of uniform or suit. The clothes gave him a sharp profile and allowed the radiance of his face and the sensuality of his long lustrous blond hair to shine through.

"It has been a long year Zechs... Milliardo. You know, the lonelier you are, the slower time flies." she said. 

Milliardo pulled her chin up and looked deeply into her eyes. Slowly, she fell down onto her knees and overwhelmingly broke into tears. 

"Milliardo, I've been thinking of you everyday ever since. I've tried avoiding my true feelings, but doing that hurts me even more..." cried Lucrezia. 

"Do you know how much I love you and admire you, Milliardo?" 

"Wasn't it obvious? The days at the Academy, how I've always tried to be second so you can be the first! I never minded being second. It was such a great pleasure seeing you first place. People told me that I could easily have beaten you, but I never wanted to... I never wanted you to be second because I thought you'd probably envy me or something. I wanted you happy and feeling proud..." 

"..... my dear Lucrezia, there's no need to cry now.. please... I'm here..." he soothed. 

Lucrezia continued, "I loved you for all that you are. And no matter how much you've done to yourself and to others in the past, I've always believed in you. I've always believed that you were reasonable and fair in everything you have done. No matter how extreme it may be, I knew you had your reasons. You always had the better, yet complicated, way of taking things into action. But to me, they were often the best way." 

"But it all comes down to this. I know you still love me ... don't you? Do you love me, Milliardo?!" 

"Lucrezia, I ..."

"There have been times that you have given the chance to kill me, but you didn't. Tell me, please Milliardo... I've been wanting to cry, but I've bottled up too many emotions and feelings that I knew one day I couldn't take it anymore.." 

"That was exactly how I felt. That's why I came back to Earth, that's why I came back here... hoping to see you again. I couldn't stand being unabled to talk to you. I confide in you, Lucrezia, because you're the only person that know my true actions and my real self. You believed that I wasn't an immoral person at heart and had faith in me. I thank you for that, Lucrezia."

"... I have been terribly lonely, living my life after the war. I live each day hoping that I meant the world to someone, no matter how little I might mean to the world... the only thing that keeps me living each day.... every second, is the very thought of you. I could spend forever just loving you. " Lucrezia proclaimed. 

"Lucrezia...you do mean much more than the world to me. You are etched so deeply onto my mind, that sometimes, my mental balance slipped because you were not in my presence. To see you cry... is causing pain to my heart." responsed Milliardo as he looked down at her compassionately.

He got down onto his knees and wrapped his arms around his weeping friend... his love. 

"I regret myself for not coming back to earth sooner..." 

"Milliardo, why did you hide your feelings for me...?" she asked. 

Milliardo sighed as he placed his forehead against Lucrezia's and looked very lovingly into her timid eyes, "It was the burden of guilt that kept me from loving you as much as you loved me. Don't ever think it was you! I was so ashamed of my stained hands of blood...I had my duties, my past, my suffering... it blocked out every positive feeling." 

"There has never... ever ... been a day that I've never thought of you, Lucrezia. You are my living guardian angel and my sanity. I cherish you and without a doubt, love you more with every beat of my heart," calmed Milliardo while he wiped Lucrezia's tears off her cheeks. 

As Lucrezia heard those affectionate words from Milliardo, she smiled. She swore she felt her heart stopped for a moment or two, for it wanted to treasure the moment the words were said. 

Lucrezia pressed her head against his chest.

"Milliardo..." 

"Hmm...?" 

"This is the first time I feel your heart, beating fast," she laughed quietly. 

He smiled and said, "That's because I'm the happiest I've ever been, now that I'm with you again." stroking her. 

Milliardo pulled her up from the ground and held her in his arms. 

With no fear or shyness, Lucrezia looked into his eyes... the most beautiful eyes. Playfully, she twirled strands of his hair around her fingers. She felt the utmost security in Milliardo's platinum blond hair which wrapped around her. Lucrezia couldn't accept how soft his hair was, it felt like the purest silk against her skin as it flowed with the wind...

"Lucrezia, do you remember that song you sang at the Academy?" asked Milliardo. 

"Yes, I do, Milliardo. As a matter of fact, I was humming it before you came here," answered Lucrezia. 

"That was the song you sang when I felt laid my eyes on you at the Academy. You never did sing it again then after...." 

"I realized that that song lured you to me. I never sang it again for it was not for anyone else's ears but your own." 

"I would please sing it again for me? I would be very happy if you sang it just once more. " 

Lucrezia smiled and quietly, softly ... lovingly sings.

"Caught by the moonlight  
A silent mist   
A shimmer in the trees   
Oh what a night for dreams   
A night of destiny.  
Others are sleeping  
So unaware of magic in the air   
Magic you weave just for me   
Io sono prigioniera...

Sweet fascination   
Though I don't understand  
The words you say.  
You whisper soft and low  
And I am swept away.   
Touch of enchantment  
I tremble when you  
Hold me close this way,  
Drawn like a moth to a flame.

Io sono prigioniera  
My fate is in your arms tonight   
Though love is shining in your eyes  
Will you be mine tomorrow?  
Io sono prigioniera...  
My heart will nevermore be free  
A part of you I'll always be  
From now until eternity... 

  


Deep as the ocean  
With every kiss  
I'm deeper in your spell  
Love me again tonight  
You are my one desire.   
Waves of emotion   
I know that this  
Is where I want to be  
Locked in your arms with no key... 

  
Io sono prigioniera...   
My fate is in your arms tonight  
Though love is shining in your eyes  
Will you be mine tomorrow?   
Io sono prigioniera  
My heart will nevermore be free  
A part of you I'll always be   
From now until eternity..."

  
As she finishes singing, she and Milliardo gazed into each others' eyes. Milliardo closed his eyes and delicately kissed Lucrezia. The pair felt the divine stars and the sacred wind blessing them as they felt an immense feeling of completion. They knew from that moment on, that they were finally, after all these years, together forever for the rest of Eternity.

======= 

Was that the end, you asked? Far from it. It was an ending that is followed by an even greater beginning.

=======

  



End file.
